The present invention relates to a fastening means for securing left and right removable roof lids of an open-top type vehicle roof structure.
One conventional example of such roof structures is shown in FIGS. 16 and 17. This roof structure belongs to a type called T-bar roof (for example, in "Jidosha Kogaku Zensho", published by Sankaido, vol. 13, page 158.) In a roof 302 of a vehicle body 301 shown in FIG. 16, an exterior roof surface is formed by upper surfaces of a longitudinal center beam 303, and left and right removable glass lids 305 fitted in left and right roof openings 304. Each lid 305 is removably secured to the vehicle body by a lock device 311 provided on the outboard side of each lid 305, and at least one hooked latch plate 310 fixed to the inboard end of each lid 305, as shown in FIG. 17. The opposite latch plates 310 of the left and right lids 305 are inserted, respectively, in concavities 309 of left and right concave members 308 fitted in left and right opening 307 formed in an outer panel 306 of the center beam 303, as shown in FIG. 17. FIG. 17 further shows a roof inner panel 312, and retainers 313 attached to peripheries of the lids 305.
The center beam 303 of this roof structure is always exposed to view, so that the upper surface of the center beam must be finished in the same manner as the remaining part of the roof surface.
Another conventional example is shown in FIGS. 18-20. A roof structure of this example is similar to what is disclosed in Japanese patent provisional publication No. 59-186735. A vehicle roof frame structure 401 shown in FIG. 18 has a longitudinal center beam 402 separating left and right roof openings 403. Front and rear receiving members 404 each having left and right latch holes 405 are fixed to the top of the center beam 402 by screws 406. Front and rear latch plates 408 are fixed to the underside of each of left and right roof lids 407 by screws 409, and inserted, respectively, in the left or right latch holes 405 of the front and rear receiving members 404 in the closed state, as shown in FIG. 20. Each lid 407 is locked by lock rods 410 which can be projected into lock holes 411 formed in the frame structure and retracted by manual operation. Each of the roof openings 403 is fringed with a weatherstrip 421 for abutting against the underside of one of the lids 407. In the closed state, the inner ends of the left and right lids 407 abut, literally or nearly, on each other above the receiving members 404. Therefore, the center beam 402 of this example is concealed under the roof surface in the closed state.